Antonio Cirino (1888-1982)

Antonio Cirino (1888-1982)

Born in Serino, Italy, Antonio Cirino studied under Arthur Wesley Dow at Teachers’ College, Columbia University. He settled in Providence, Rhode Island and became the Head of Teacher Training at the Rhode Island School of Design. After serving during World War I as a code breaker for the State Department, Cirino returned to his passion for the arts and soon after joined the artists’ colony in the Cape Ann region of Massachusetts.

Cirino first traveled to Rockport in the summer of 1921. He would eventually purchase a home in Pigeon Cove, returning every summer while continuing to teach at the Rhode Island School of Design during the year. He was a founding member of the Rockport Art Association, later serving as director, and was active in many other art clubs including the North Shore Arts Association and the Ogunquit Art Association. He exhibited locally and nationally, and earned numerous awards throughout his lifetime, including three Salmagundi Club prizes in 1932, 1937 and 1944. Cirino’s affection for the Cape Ann region is evident in his colorful, lively renditions of its shores, towns and people, clearly displayed in this sun-filled scene of Lanes Cove.